A Street Kid Named Ghost
by minnesotan-angel
Summary: 16 year-old Harry Potter has been living on the streets since he was kicked out of his old orphanage. Taking care of his 'family' and living on the streets has left him bone tired, when he meets a tabby in an alley, he learns of another job he must fufil.
1. Chapter 1

**A Street Kid Named Ghost**

**Rating: T **

**Warnings: Cursing, child neglect, abuse and abandonment, and gory details**

**Summary: Harry Potter has been missing for 5 years. He is now a boy living in an abandoned house with his 'family'—a gang of street kids. One day on his way home from work he finds a tabby cat that opens up a new world.**

**Background: This is a story where the Dursley's don't keep Harry and instead send him to an orphanage, he is kicked out (why? will be disclosed in story) and lives on the street for the next nine years of his life. He takes in other street kids to form his gang. Yes, Harry is still the boy who lived, but most everyone forgot him. He is 16 in this story.**

**Disclaimer: Sadly my wishes have not come true, Harry Potter is not mine.**

**ENJOY! **

_**The-Boy-Who-Lived Missing!**_

_By: Rita Skeeter_

_It has come to the attention of the Daily Prophet and this reporter that the vanquisher of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has disappeared. _

_Harry Potter was placed with his muggle Aunt and Uncle who are (or were) his only living relatives after the one year old's defeat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. _

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry brought it to the attention of the wizardring world that its saviour had disappeared when Harry Potter's acceptance letter was returned unopened. Upon further investigation it was found that while Mr. Potter had been left at his aunt's and uncle's, he had not stayed there._

_It is unknown whether Mr. Potter has vanished on purpose, or was stolen or killed by remaining Death Eaters. We hope that Mr. Potter will be found safe and unharmed._

**Five years later**

Harry "The Ghost" skirted around the edge of a burnt out building. He was at the edge of London, in the Slums. He'd gotten his nickname for his pale white almost translucent skin and his ability to seemingly disappear. The other street kids thought the latter was just because he was good at fitting into a crowd. Harry knew different. It was because of his freakish abilities.

He was able to wish to be invisible and his wish was almost always granted. However, it was that freakishness that had gotten him kicked out of the orphanage that he had lived in until he was seven.

One of the more vindictive matrons had decided that his hair was too long and messy and had sheared it off. Harry had been beyond embarrassed when everyone had laughed at him. As he had fallen asleep that night he had wished that his hair was long again. When he had woken up all his hair was back. All the other boys in his room had called him freak and ran off to get a matron. When she came in she screamed about his freakish abilities and how he shouldn't be in the orphanage corrupting all the normal children. Harry had run away that night with nothing but the clothes on him and a small backpack with some food and an extra set of clothes. Since that day he had lived on the streets.

He quickly discovered that the world he thought was out there was a lie. There were no nice people. None of the adults bustling to and from work cared about him and whether or not he was okay. The older street kids were also vindictive and spiteful.

They had pushed Harry around until Harry had learned that he didn't like being bossed around and he left his old gang. He moved to a new side of London and started his own gang. Liza was the oldest, a year older than Harry. When Harry was nine she had taken him under her wing and taught him everything he knew. She was like the mother of their small group. Harry was the big brother the young ones turned to. Lena was the same age as Harry and his co-leader. She was very distrustful and the only truly trusted was Harry, although she was still energetic. Kat, Ed, and Mona completed the gang; they ranged from 6 to 9 to 10.

Kat was the baby of the group and whenever Harry was "home" she clung to him. He had found her lying in the sewer crying her eyes out when she was four. She, like Lena, was very wary and only let Harry and Liza touch her.

Harry was glad that he had his own little family, but he feared for them. Ed, Kat, and Lena all seemed to have the same freakish abilities as Harry. Harry knew that he was a freak and doomed to hell because of that, but he didn't want the same to happen to the rest of his 'family'.

He was walking past an alley way when he heard some boys yelling and the yowls of some poor creature. Harry couldn't stop himself, he tried but he couldn't help but see what was making those awful sounds. It was what Liza called his "saving people thing'. He just didn't like seeing other people, or creatures, being hurt.

He crept into the alleyway and saw three boys beating a tabby cat with sticks. The poor cat was yowling and trying to claw its attackers, but was too weak and hurt to reach them.

Harry stood up and walked over to the boys. "What the hell do you think you're doin'?" The three boys jumped and ran when they saw who Harry was. They knew that Harry could easily hurt them and feared him for that. It was this fear that Harry played upon to keep his family safe.

He made sure the boys were gone and knelt down next to the cat, ignoring the muck he was getting on his ripped up jeans. "Hey there, you poor thing, it's alright." The cat yowled and tried to get away from him. He pet the top of the cat's head, the only part that seemed uninjured. He shushed the creature until the yowls and attempts at freedom stopped. He realized that the poor thing was shaking, either from injuries or the cold Harry was unsure. He took off his jacket and wrapped it around the cat, ignoring the cold wind that immediately penetrated his skin. He picked up the shaking bundle and began walking home.

He stopped when he reached an abandoned building and opened the half rotted door. As he stepped into the darkness he was immediately pushed back by a shrieking auburn haired creature. He laughed and picked Kat up one armed, making sure that the cat was still was still safe.

He kicked the door closed and walked into the 'living room'. "How's my favorite little girl then?"

Kat immediately started talking. "You were gone _forever_ 'ry! I kept waiting by the door but you never came. Lena said that you had to go to work, did you really get a job 'ry?" When Kate had been younger she had been unable to pronounce Harry's name, and instead referred to him as "'ry" since.

Harry smiled at the young girl and set her down on the moth eaten couch. "Yes Kat, I did get a job. I work at Matt's store, remember, the man who's helped us with food sometimes?" Kat nodded energetically and bounced up and down on the couch making the springs creak ominously. Harry smiled and pulled out a small candy bar. "Go share that with Ed and Mona, and tell Liza and Lena that I need to see them." The little girl squealed when she saw the candy and immediately ran off, making have to yell the last part of what he said to her.

"What do you need us for, love?" Liza questioned when she walked in, followed by Lena who bounded over to Harry. The girl wasn't one for much excessive physical contact, but being near her best friend always made her feel better. Liza and Kat were the only ones ever allowed to call Harry pet names, Liza because she was like Harry's older sister and Kat because Harry was wrapped around her little finger.

Harry gently set down his bundle and unwrapped it to reveal the injured cat. Liza sucked in a breath and sank down to her knees to see the creature better. "What happened to the poor dear?"

Harry sighed and plunked down on the floor, followed by Lena who leaned slightly towards the boy. "I found three boys beating her with some sticks. I stopped them as soon as I could, but I don't know how long they had been doing it." The boy answered. Liza ran out of the room and came back in a minute later with a bowl of warm water and some bandages and cloth.

"Help me clean her up." The older girl ordered her 'brother'. Harry complied and picked up one of the cloths. He dabbed it in the water and gently washed off one of the cat's paws.

An hour later the cat was washed and bandaged, snoozing in Harry's lap. Kat bounced into the room as Liza left. The little girl crawled open couch space on Harry's left side (the right being occupied by Lena). "What are we gonna call her, 'ry?" Kate chirped.

Harry shrugged. "No idea Kat. Why don't you name her?" The little girl's face lit up in excitement. Her nose scrunched up as she thought about it.

"Dolly!" she finally decided. Harry smiled at her happiness.

"Dolly it is then!" Kat clapped her hands and then put on her pout face.

"'Ry, will you read me a story 'fore I go to bed?" Harry looked into her wide, pouting eyes and immediately gave in.

"Course I will Kat, go and get the story you want to hear." Harry said, smirking when the little girl ran out of the room as fast as she could go.

"How did work go?" Lena asked in her quiet voice. Ever since Harry had found Lena she rarely spoke in front of people, and she always spoke very softly, always somewhat hoarse.

Harry leaned his head back against the couch and closed his eyes in exhaustion. "Pretty good, Matt said if I worked really hard he would give me a raise, so I worked my arse off. There was this one bloke that made me run around the shop and get everything for him. I think it was because he was too fat to walk through the aisles. But he kept changing his mind about things, and made me put things back and then go get them. But other than that, it was good."

Lena gave a soft smile that softened her hard features. "Kat kept running to the door or window when we heard something in the street, I thought she was going to die the way she kept going on." She said. Harry chuckled a little. The girl in question ran in with her book and crawled back onto the couch. Harry opened the roughed up copy of 'The Sword in the Stone'. As he began to read, both Lena and Kat leaned into him. Lena put her head on his shoulder, and Kat tried to bury herself in Harry's side.

When he finished Kat was already asleep. Harry closed the book and handed it to Lena. "Can you take Dolly while I go put Kat to bed?" Lena nodded and gently lifted the dozing cat into her lap. Harry picked up Kat and swung her onto his hip. He realized with a pang of sadness that soon she would be too big to carry, even if was tiny for her age. He walked up the rickety stairs to the younger kids' bedroom. Ed and Mona were already lying in the big bed the three shared, listening to Liza reading a book. Harry pulled back the covers and tucked Kat in. He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and then gave Ed and Mona quick hugs. "G'night." He whispered as he tread down the stairs.

He walked back into the sitting room and saw Lena snoozing along with Dolly. He smiled and stretched out on the couch and dozed off too.

"Harry!" Liza admonished when she walked into the room. He jumped up, "Whaa?" Dolly jumped up too and stared at Harry, chest heaving. The three humans all looked at the creature. Harry leaned in closer and looked blearily at the cat.

"What's up with you Dolly?" The cat snorted at its new name and bumped into Harry's face gently. His glasses fell to the floor. "Damn it." He muttered as he put them back on. "Whatever, I'm gonna go to bed." The girls nodded and he picked up Dolly and walked out of the room and opened the door to the cupboard under the stairs.

"I know it's not much Dolly, but there's only room for two beds upstairs and that's for the kids, Lena, and Liza. I don't need a bed." He waved his hand and a small orb of light rose to the top of the cupboard. Dolly gave a soft mew of shock. Harry gave a sad chuckle as he clambered in and situated himself into a comfortable position, spooning around Dolly. "And of course, freaks don't deserve a bed." He said as the light went out.

**Sooooooo, whatdya think? My muse decided to grace me with this idea while I was getting paint for my room. Please please please please please REVIEW! I thrive on reviews! I should have the next chapter posted in the next couple of days.**


	2. Chapter 2

Minerva McGonagall was a well respected witch, teacher and Animagus, thank you very much. She had been taking a nice stroll along the run down area of London on her way to Diagon Alley. She was having quite a pleasant time, soaking up the sun in her Animagus form when suddenly a group of boys popped up and herded her into a dark and abandoned alleyway. They had proceeded to beat her with sticks they had acquired from somewhere.

Her cat instincts took over and she began yowling for help and trying to claw the miscreants that were hurting her. It was to no avail. Her vision began blurring and she realized that she was going to die. _Killed by some muggle brats, where did I go wrong in my life!_ She thought. Suddenly the sticks stopped whacking and she heard the boys running away. She looked up and began yowling again when she saw a great hulking brute bend down. She did the only thing she could do and tried to escape. A warm something descended on her head and soothed her. She began to shake from the cold (It was December after all!). The brute raised his hand and took off his jacket wrapping it around her. He then proceeded to pick her up and walk away carefully.

She began to fade into unconsciousness until she was rudely awakened by her human being shoved by something. She woke up some more when the human side of her asked, _her_ human? The cat side agreed, he had saved her and therefore was her human. Minerva sighed; she would go along with the charade until her wounds were healed. As an expert on Transfiguration she knew that transforming into a human would be disastrous. Cats' organs were not in the same place as humans, and a simple wound to a cat may become life threatening to a human. (1) She would bide her time until she was healed.

She gave a small mew when her human set her down on the couch. A brown haired girl immediately began tending to her. She gave a louder mew when her human left her. He soon came back and washed her. Minerva dozed off from the care and curled up into her human's lap. Voices washed over her as she settled in contentedly. She woke up slightly when she was shifted from her human's lap, but he came back.

"Harry!" The human in her jumped up and stared at her human with now focused eyes. It couldn't be, Harry Potter had been declared missing for five years now. Most of the wizardring world had taken him for dead, they assumed that Death Eaters had found and killed him. "What's wrong with you Dolly?" Minerva snorted when she heard the childish name they had given her.

As she peered at him she did see a faint resemblance to James Potter. She bumped his nose to try and move the glasses whose glare hid his eyes from view. The glasses fell off and Minerva was staring into brilliant emerald green eyes. "Damn it." The boy muttered as he shoved his glasses and told the girls that he would be going to bed. He picked Minerva up and carried her…to a cupboard.

_What the hell? He's putting me in a cupboard?_ Minerva was even more shocked when Harry got in too.

"I know it's not much Dolly, but there's only room for two beds upstairs and that's for the kids, Lena and Liza. I don't need a bed." Minerva snorted. So he was trying to play the hero. She froze. Kids? If this was Harry Potter, then how the heck would he have kids, if he was 16? He waved his hand and an orb of light rose to the top of the cupboard. Minerva gasped, but it came out as a mew. _He could do MAGIC! Without a wand?_ Minerva knew many wizards, only a handful were adept at wandless magic. Harry curled up around her. As the light faded she heard him say. "And of course, freaks don't deserve a bed."

Minerva froze. Freaks? What was the poor boy talking about?

She looked around the small space and realized that everything was either mildewed or rotted through. There was a thick coat of dirt on the floor and a mass of cobwebs on the small ceiling of the cupboard. Harry was sleeping on two blankets folded to fit into the cramped space. The blanket on top was damp and holes littered the disgusting thing.

Harry had covered him and her up with the jacket she had previously been wrapped in. Taking a closer look his clothing showed that beside the jacket he wore only a pair of holy jeans and a patched up T-shirt. Minerva was surprised that he wasn't frozen through solid.

A closer look at the boy himself made Minerva want to cry long and hard. His arms bore numerous scars and scratches that shone either pearly white or inflamed red on his translucent skin. He was as pale as a ghost! He was also nothing more than a skeleton with a little muscle. Minerva knew that as a child living on the street, he no doubt did not get much food to eat, especially with others to feed as well. Finally she looked at his face. His bright green eyes were closed and his whitish-pink lips were parted slightly in sleep. Without the glasses on, Minerva was able to see a long scar that extended from his hairline across his right eye to his chin. It was pearly white and slightly puckered, which meant that it was probably an older scar. The Animagus wondered how he had gotten it.

With a small cat yawn, Minerva curled up as close as she could to the boy to provide him some meager warmth.

_There was a woman screaming. "Not Harry! Please, not Harry!"_

_A cruel voice, "Step aside you stupid girl!" More pleading. A flash of green light, and then nothing._

_The scene changed to a pretty woman. She had long black hair in a braid. She was smiling at a little boy. The smile turned into a hideous grimace. A man walked up behind her and then began to chase the boy. The boy ran as fast as he could, but he was not fast enough to beat the man's large legs. He caught the boy and began beating him. His large signet ring scratched along the boy's face, blood mixing with the tears. Small ribs broke under the pressure and the boy screamed pitifully. "You will never be normal, _FREAK!"

Harry woke with a scream. He began panting and sat up, curling into himself as a few tears leaked out of the corner of his eyes. The thundering of feet on the stairs woke up 'Dolly'. She looked up blearily to see Harry crying.

Liza threw open the door and pulled Harry into her arms as soon as she saw him curled up. "It's alright, love. Those bastards can't get you here. They'll never touch you again." She carded her hands through his hair as she continued to whisper soothing phrases in his ear. Kat sat and patted his hand, doing the only thing the little girl knew to comfort the now sobbing boy. Minerva unfroze and rubbed against the boy trying to calm him.

"I-it was th-that n-night t-too!" Harry was able to force out. "Wh-when my r-real parents d-d-died!" He began to sob harder.

More people came running down the stairs and Lena, Ed, and Mona all poked their heads around the edge of the door. When Lena saw her best friend crying, she hugged him to her chest too. Ed and Mona sat next to the group silently as their leader sobbed his heart out into his pseudo sister's shoulder.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hola my readers! I'm getting really sad with the way reviews are going. If you are reading this fanfic, PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Since this is AU I'm not sure exactly where I want this story to go. Here are some suggestions.**

**Sirius escaped Azkaban and is living with Harry as Padfoot.**

**Harry knows he's an Animagus**

**Harry doesn't know**

**Despite Harry not being at Hogwarts, Voldemort has still risen again.**

**Death Eaters capture Harry and Voldemort is resurrected.**

**Any other suggestions?**

**I don't think this will have much romance, but review with any pairings you might have in mind.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing… *sob!***

**Without further ado, Chapter 3**

After Harry woke everyone up, the older kids stayed awake. Ed, Mona and Kat went back to bed while Liza, Lena and Harry moved from the grungy floor to the threadbare couch. Harry was curled up in Liza's lap while Lena stroked his hair.

Minerva (Dolly) lay on the back of the couch and watched over the small group. Harry had given her a lot to think about. He had had a rough childhood that much was obvious — he was living on the streets. But it seemed as if he may have been abused. It also sounded as if he had seen his 'real' parents killed. Had the abuse come from adoptive parents? And maybe this boy really was Harry Potter.

He had the same unruly hair and bad eyes sight like James Potter, and his eyes were almost the same green as Lily's. She didn't know if Harry had the same lightning bolt scar as the little boy she had held Halloween night. He was magic. His parents had died. But she still wasn't sure.

Several hours passed and the girls dozed off. Harry silently moved off of Liza's lap and changed clothes in his cupboard. He slipped out of the door and headed towards Matt's store. He knew he was early, his shift didn't start till noon, but he couldn't stay still any longer.

He wandered along the edge of the river that circled the slums then walked over a dingy bridge. He began moving slowly to the store. In the end, his wandering paid off and he was right on time. The seven hours of brainless work helped him slowly send his living nightmares to the back of his subconscious.

At the end of his shift he slid off his apron and bought a large bag of chips for his family. Chips had always been a treat for the kids and girls. Harry never allowed himself to eat any. He ate only enough to have ample energy to work and 'take care' of outlying gangs that strayed too near his home. He made sure most of the food went to his charges. The lack of food always made him look younger than he was. Even though he was sixteen, his malnourished body represented a thirteen year old. He had a thin layer of muscle from beating up opposing gang members, but was little more than skin and bones.

It was this fact that put him at a great disadvantage when five shadows pulled him into a deserted alleyway close to home. The largest of the group promptly started kicking Harry in the ribs. After 11 kicks, Harry felt several of his ribs snap under the pressure. The noise rang through the alley and seemed to urge the other shadows to join in. After only God knew how long they stopped. Snickering and guffawing they weaved their way towards another pub, obviously already drunk.

Harry was nothing more than a bruised, bloody and broken pulp. He knew several of his ribs were broken and the bone of his left arm was poking through his skin. Large black spots dotted his vision and grew larger as Harry began to crawl home. He collapsed on the second step of the porch, all adrenaline gone. He passed out after seeing snowflakes beginning to fall lazily from the sky.

"Where's 'ry?" Kat asked for the umpteenth time that night. It was half past nine and there had still been no sign of their leader. The older girls were trying to hide the fact that they were anxious, but it didn't work very well.

"That does it. I'm gonna look for him." Lena said hoarsely as she stood up from the couch.

"Lena, don't! We have no idea where to start. For all we know he could be out partying with some coworkers!" Liza said, standing up too. "Besides, it's cold and snowing outside, you're bound to get sick!"

Lena just shook her head and opened the door. She screamed when she reached the second step. Th other kids and Minerva rushed over to her. The other three girls screamed and Ed yelled when they saw Harry lying lifelessly on the stairs. The snow around him was painted red and his lips were a dark contrasting blue from his translucent skin.

"Oh my God! Is he d-dead?" Mona whispered as she raised her hands to her mouth. Liza reached out a quivering hand and pressed it to his neck. For several seconds she felt nothing, then…a thready pulse that was barley there. Liza sighed in relief.

"Quick, we need to get him inside!" Liza and Ed took his feet, while Lena cradled his head and Mona supported his torso, Kat held open the door and Minerva stood in the living room waiting for them to come in. They placed Harry on the couch. "Kat, Ed, go upstairs. Mona, turn up the heat as high as it can go. Lena, help me get these clothes off him." Everyone rushed to obey. The two youngest knew they would only get in the way.

As the oldest girls worked on Harry, Minerva heard them talking quietly. "I think we might have to take him to the hospital, Lena. There's no way in heaven or hell that we'll be able to completely heal Harry. He's lost too much blood and he's hypothermic. One of his broken ribs might have punctured his lung, and then he'll surely die!"

Lena shook her head. "No. If we take him, they'll try to put him back in the orphanage, and we'll follow."

Minerva knew that if she didn't do something, Harry would die. It didn't matter if he was a Potter or not. He was an innocent boy that had seen too much pain in his life. She gave a loud meow that made the three girls look at her. Slowly, the body of a cat disappeared and was replaced by that of a woman. Minerva quickly shoved Lena and Liza out of the way and pulled out her wand.

"WH-what the hell are you?" Liza asked her eyes wide with fear.

"I am a witch, I'm going to heal Harry as best I can, and then I will explain more." Minerva said before turning to her patient. First she cast several warming charms around the boy that began bringing his temperature back up. "Episkey." She whispered, and the bone of his arm slowly retreated back into the skin. She did the same with his ribs and then conjured some white linen to make a sling for his arm and a wrap for his torso. She put her hand on his forehead and was relieved when she felt only a slight fever. She leant back and stood up to face the three girls in the room.

"Again…who the hell are you!"

**mini kinda cliffhanger….sorry I took so long to write….heheh…*dodges several rotten foods***

_**You deserved that!**_

**Shut up….sorry that was my muse, bloody annoying little pest!**

_**I can heaaaaaaaar yooooooooou! PLEASE REVIEW! My Mouthpiece needs sustenance in the form of reviews!**_

**I know my brain is screwed up, deal with it **


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